Inside the Home of Project Runway Winner Gretchen Jones
Designer Gretchen Jones hails from Colorado, grew up in Oregon, and has lived in Fort Greene for the last couple of years. Her namesake line—Gretchen Jones Collection—draws from her love of nature, music, and art, fusing a romantic, rustic sensibility with clean lines and luxurious materials. Jones says that her most recent collection was inspired by and “pays homage to American folk singer and human rights activist Joan Baez’s album “Any Day Now,” comprised of only Bob Dylan songs, as well as Joan Didion’s essay “Where the Kissing Never Stops,” in the book Slouching Towards Bethlehem.” In her home, this same influence reigns, each room is a mosaic of unique pieces imbued with personal meaning. Although Jones has only lived in Brooklyn for a little more than two years, she has made herself a truly beautiful home.
How long have you lived in Brooklyn?
I moved to Fort Greene brooklyn from Portland Oregon in November of 2010 and haven’t left the neighborhood since landing!
What brought you here?
I’m a fashion designer and found living far away from the center of the industry was isolating. I decided to move to NYC to take my label to the next level and integrate into the fashion community more wholly, which has been a crazy and good choice! I’m so happy to be here, especially choosing Brooklyn to call home. It allows Manhattan to be about work and Brooklyn to be about downtime and life outside of the studio.
What do you like most about your apartment?
I love that my layout is more square than rectangular…which allows it to feel more open. I have super-high pressed tin ceilings and there’s a lot of old architectural character which makes my apartment feel like a home.
What do you like least about it?
I’m on the second floor, street-facing…and it’s a VERY busy and loud street. I think the noise more than anything is what I hate. That and the 3/4 mile trek to the subway…that’s a pain in the butt too!
